Posted on July 29th, 2010 by admin in
pet bird Parrots are not merely beautifull birds they are messy and they can be quite loud.
The parrots can’t help this. It is what they are by nature. The large birds like macaws can be window rattlers.
Almost all birds will vocalize early in the morning, sunup and again at sundown. They will do what their species does sometimes for a half hour give or take a bit. Some sing some screech and some squawk. Some species call out to locate their flock or be sure where their mates are. Birds will vocalize as warnings when predators are present or they have become alarmed about something. It only makes sense that pet birds will do the same things.
Should your bird become alarmed it is likely to get vocal. He may call out the moment you leave his sight. Or he may get loud in the morning to let you know the suns coming up. These behaviors in a pet bird are normal and to be expected. If the bird is a large parrot they also can be very stressing, irritating and annoying to you and your neighbors particularly if excessive in volume and duration.
Excessive duration, volume and frequency or screaming often indicates the pet bird is having a problem or is stressed out over something and is just not happy. There are many things that can upset a bird especially a captive bird. So finding out why a bird is screaming is the first step. Some things to look for are.
1. Illness or injury?
2. Hunger and or thirst?
3. Are his surroundings new? Did you move? Did you move his cage to another room?
4. Inadequate attention. Have you and others been to busy to give him adequate daily attention?
5. A big change in family members either added or lost? Maybe a new puppy, baby? Did a kid leave for college? Did someone pass away?
6. Fear?
7. Not enough rest or sleep? To much light, or traffic by his cage.
8. Jealousy? Are you neglecting your bird in favor of a new arrival or pet?
9. Boredom? Unhappy birds most often are bored birds.
Assuming their environment has been stable a period of time. It should be relatively easy to discover the cause of the birds screaming. If you can eliminate the first 8 possibilities then boredom is the likely culprit. Most captive birds get bored rather easily. They eat and perch, ring the bell and wait to interact with their owner for a few hours at least, boring!
In the wild birds spend the vast majority of their time seeking food. Very often they must learn to solve a problem just to get to their food. They have a great deal more to do than just to eat and so should captive birds. Foraging consumes most of their waking life. Infact foraging for food is normal activity and should be introduced to all pet birds. A happy bird is a foraging bird.
Making your bird forage for his food will help keep him occupied when the family cannot. With the help of a good supply store and the use of your own ingenuity this isn’t difficult to accomplish. A good supply store will have a number of toys designed just to make your bird forage. You may have to do a bit of training in the beginning but most learn quickly because there is food involved.
Helping your pet to stay busy while doing what he would normally do if not for you is a nearly surefire way to stop a birds screaming and keeping all birds quieter. Your bird may know where the food is but he will need to think and work a little to get to it. Just as nature intended too. Beats the heck out of eating, ringing the bell and perching doesn’t it?
Posted on July 25th, 2010 by admin in
pet dog The Alaskan Malamute is a generally large breed of domestic dog originally bred for use as an Alaskan sled dog. It is sometimes mistaken for a Siberian Husky, but in fact is quite different in many ways.
Description
Appearance
The American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard calls for a natural range of size, with a desired freighting weight of 75 to 85 pounds (34 to 39 kg) and a height of 23 to 26 inches (58 to 66 cm).Some Malamutes have been known to reach 32 inches (810 mm), and to weigh more than 130 lb (59 kg). Heavier individuals (90lbs) and dogs smaller than 75 pounds are common. There is often a marked size difference between males and females. Weights upwards of 95 pounds are occasionally seen, but this is uncommon and such dogs are produced primarily by breeders who market a ‘large Malamute.’ These large sizes are not in accordance with the breed’s history or show standards.
The coat is a dense double northern dog coat, somewhat “harsher” (in a certain sense) than that of the Siberian Husky. The usual colors are various shades of gray and white, sable and white, black and white, red and white, or pure white. Eyes are almond-shaped and are always various shades of brown (from dark to light, honey or hazel brown); blue eyes will disqualify the dog in shows. The physical build of the Malamute is compact with heavy bone, in most (but not all) cases.. In this context ‘compact’ means that their height to length ratio is slightly longer than tall, unlike dogs like Great Danes which are longer and lankier in their ratios.
The primary criterion for judging the Malamute in a show is its function to pull heavy freight as a sled dog; everything else is secondary. As many an owner has found out, the pulling power of a Malamute is tremendous.
The Malamute’s tail is well furred and hangs just over the back like a “plume”. This is the standard written in the breed book. Corkscrew tails can now be seen but is not the breed description (a corkscrew tail is commonly seen in the Akita). The Malamutes’ well-furred tails aid in keeping them warm when they curl up in the snow. They wrap the tail around their nose and face which helps protect them against harsh weather such as blowing snow.
Ears are generally upright.
See complete details with images at
http://nice-pet-01.blogspot.com/
A dog is classified into different breed types. In fact, dogs are the only animal species in the world that have diversified themselves into so many diverse breed types. The main breed classification of dogs are pure breed dogs, hybrid breed dogs and mixed breed dogs. The different dog types are classified within these three main subcategories of dog breed. A detailed research on dog breed types is critically important before deciding on your pet adoption choice.
The importance of breed research can be explained as the importance that the about-to-be dog owner places on his or her pet. This importance is very much needed as many people often do the mistake in adopting dog without adequate research and finally end up in sending the dog in a state run animal center. If you still do not believe what happens in an animal center, then let this article confirm the morbid fact that, the dogs are kept for a while in the center and then they are simply euthanized. Euthanization is only a fancy and state-sponsored name for murder.
Thus, if you are looking forward to adopting a dog, then give the decision a serious thought because you should be able to provide lifelong care and concern for the dog. The mistake that owners make is often in the beginning when they fail to do adequate research and adopts a dog breed that is unsuitable to the owner’s lifestyle. You should know that the dog breeds are also classified according to the primary nature of the members of the breed. For instance, breeds can be classified into groups like sporting dog breed, Non sporting dog breed, terrier dog, hound dog and herding dog breed. Therefore, if you feel that you do not have the time to take the dog to exercise everyday, then you simply adopt a non-sporting type of dog that does not have much exercise demands.
The breed of a dog is in fact an excellent source of information about the dog and a person should wisely choose his or her dog depending on the breed information. A dog breed can give you extensive information about your pet like how much grooming is required by the pet, how much exercise is required by the pet or the training demands of that particular dog breed. You will also be able to judge other important factors like the dog breed tolerance towards children or the dog breed tolerance towards strangers. For instance, dog breed types like Samoyed, Golden retriever, Labrador retriever, Greyhound, Newfoundland, Irish wolfhound and Bulldogs have been found to offer friendship and protection towards children.
If you are adopting a puppy, then too the dog breed information is equally helpful. For adopting puppies the most important point that you should take care is that what will be the adult size of the puppy and what will be the adult characteristics of the puppy. Sometimes different dog breed types look the same as puppies , so it is crucial that you make adequate research before getting the puppy to your home. This article requests all those who are looking forward towards adopting a new dog to decide responsibly before selecting your dog breed type. You should be responsible for your pet’s life, and not the murder of your pet.
Posted on July 17th, 2010 by admin in
cat toy Cat lovers are known to pamper their pets and you are probably no different. Your kitty has all the latest toys and comforts including self-cleaning litter box, a treat dispenser, cat grass, every cat toy known to the pet shop owner, and a variety of scratching posts but kitty wants to use the sofa instead.
Nothing you have done to try to deter her from scratching as worked and you are at your wits end. You have tried all the sprays and even the double sided tape that is supposed to scare her away due to the stickiness but all she does is walk over a little and continue to sharpen her claws on a different spot. So what are you to do? Does the concept of trimming your cat’s claws scare you to death? Let me show you how to make it easier.
First off, don’t try to rush the process of trimming your cat’s nails, all you will get out of that is a ticked off cat and lots of bites and scratches! Take the time to let her get used to having her claws touched and rubbed. You should do this often and not just went you want to cut her nails, if not the cat will associate the touching with getting her nails cut and you do not want that. Do a little research on the technique so that you are comfortable with it. You probably know that there is a blood vessel that runs in the claws that not only hurts if nicked, but will also bleed badly. A wound in that area is highly susceptible to infection as well due to her digging in the bacteria filled litter box.
Before you begin to actually do the clipping, make sure that you have all the things you think you will need. Of course, the most important part of your tool kit will be the clippers. You need a good quality pair that are only for the cat. Get some guillotine style surgical steel clippers from a pet specialty store and try to get some that have an extra blade. Practice a little with them before the live event so that you are comfortable using them.
Next you need a large towel to wrap your cat in case she doesn’t chill out and calm down. This way you can keep her wrapped up and work on one paw at a time. You may need to draft a friend or roommate into helping you if you have particularly unruly kitty. Finally, you want to be sure that you have a good light source so that you can see the blood vessel in the claw and avoid cutting it. It is best to leave them a little long than to cut them to the quick.
I am not giving you a guarantee that following my advice will make you successful in getting your cat’s claws trimmed, if you have one of those arrogant kitties that have a mind of their own it may take you several tries over a period of days to get them all trimmed. Just remember, there is no law that says you have to get them all done in one sitting, if you get one done that’s a step in the right direction. If you insist on trying to cut the claws and your cat is freaking out she will run from you the next time she sees you with the clippers.
Posted on July 16th, 2010 by admin in
pet dog Dogs are said to be man’s best friend. It is so because dogs have integrity, loyalty, and intelligence. If you love your dog, you should not only pay attention to its food and shelter but also healthy lifestyle for your dog.
Dogtoysdirect.com offers wide variety of dog toys to make sure your dog is occupied. As dogs with no channel for their energy might become too aggressive, you can give them the toys. Toys such as chew toys help dogs by making their gums and teeth exercised. The toys also help cleaning your dog’s teeth. While you might afraid your big dogs may ruin your sofa or other furniture, you just simply need to make them occupied with squeaky toys that will pull out their curiosity for hours.
You also might want to teach your dog tricks or ability to do some errands. With Frisbees or sticks or other kinds of fetch toys you can make your dogs deliver some items for you. With ropes or other tugs game, you can teach your dogs to attack burglar or some one who might threaten you on the sidewalks. Regularly playing with your dogs also creates strong bonds and able to keep unwanted behavior out from your dogs.
Clicker training incorporates the use of a clicker as a reward or encouragement when training a cat.
Cats are able to relate with the clicker, displaying good actions and behavior. Clicker training is often linked with conventional condition, where cats associate sound with food and operational condition and where cats execute movements for food.
A clicker is found to be more effective than verbal command because cats can hear clicker sounds more clearly than a voice, as human voice tones change while the clicker sound is always steady or constant.
The click is brief and concise, whereas a voice, phrase or a word, is fairly long in cats’ point of standing. To say “good boy” will take time than a click.
With the use of a clicker, cats can be successfully trained in three simple steps: obtaining the cats behavior, marking its behavior, and reinforcing its behavior.
Guidelines when training with a clicker:
1. To make a sound, push the clicker’s spring end and then release. Treat the cat.
2. When you notice a behavior that you want your cat to continue on doing, click during while the behavior is being performed, never after it.
3. Click only once, to express enthusiasm towards the act of your cat and add more treats.
4. Note that practice periods should be short. More can be learned in three brief five minute sessions per day than hours of boring and stressful repetition.
5. Correct bad acts by ignoring and clicking when good behavior is displayed. Click when your kitten uses the litter box or when it plays on the scratch post, not on the furniture.
6. Click for accidental and voluntary actions nearing your objective. You should entice the cat into a position, but never pull or push it or hold it.
7. Never wait until your cat performs the perfect act that you told it to do, instead click and reward for little actions towards the correct direction. When your cat is signaled to sit and it crouches in its back, click.
8. Carry the clicker at all times when you are with your cat, so you can catch good acts.
9. Make sure to put aside the clicker when you are scolding your cat.
The non-confrontational character of a clicker makes it an ideal tool for training your cat.
You too, can be happy with the results, having achieved all positive behaviors that you worked for with your cat. With lots of understanding, love, and patience, cat clicker training will continue to give you wonderful results that you and your cat will benefit from for years to come.
The general population thinks of cowboys, Quarter Horses, rattlesnakes, Brahma bulls, and Longhorn steers when they think about the livestock and pets typically found in the Lone Star State. When they think of pets they probably think of Australian Heelers, Heinz fifty-seven mixes, barn cats, and other ranch related working animals. What you probably don’t think of is English Cocker Spaniels. You should. Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine just announced that they have a new genetic test for Familial Nephropathy in English Cocker Spaniels.
Familial Nephropathy is an inherited renal disease that is recessive. Breeders of English Cocker Spaniels have been aware of Familial Nephropathy for more them fifty years. Typical symptoms of Familial Nephropathy are excessive drinking, excessive urination, the dog is suddenly loosing weight because they don’t have much of an appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Most signs of Familial Nephropathy start to show up when the dog is somewhere between six and twenty-four months old.
Dogs that are going to develop Familial Nephropathy are difficult to predict because they are born with two completely normal kidneys. As the dog grows and develops the kidneys start to deteriorate from the lack of a certain type of collagen.
Familial Nephropathy is normally fatal. Because it is a genetic disorder most pet health insurance plans will not cover the cost of any treatments the dog owners wish to pursue. In addition to researching Familial Nephropathy Texas A&M University sees over 11,500 small animals a year. That is 11,500 pet owners that could have saved money by purchasing a pet health care policy for their family pet.
Some pet owners in the state of Texas like snakes, the more exotic the snake is the happier the pet owner. Like with all pets there are certain health care needs that snakes have that other pets do not. Typical snake health care issues can be respiratory infections, eye infections, mite infestation, metabolic bone disease, abscesses, belly burns, and parasites. The problem with pet snakes and other pet reptiles is that signs of health care issues are not as easy to identify as with their mammal counterparts. A big part of maintaining the health and well being of your pet snake is finding a veterinarian. One of the first things you need to do when selecting a veterinarian for your snake is making sure they are comfortable around snakes. The reality of the world is that everybody has phobia and lots of people are phobic about snakes. If your veterinarian is uncomfortable handling your treasured snake they will not be able to accurately diagnosis any health problems it might be having. In addition to the typical dogs, cats and horses, many Texans also have exotic pets such as ferrets, wallabies, glider squirrels, and Coatimundi’s. People who purchase exotic pets should realize that the more exotic the pet the harder it is going to be to find the proper veterinary care and the more the veterinary care is going to cost. Before you purchase an exotic pet you might want to research how much you could potentially spend on veterinary care during the pets life time and find out if it is possible to purchase a pet health insurance plan.